That Day
by YuKanda
Summary: Kanda is a decent youth with an empty and boring life, hating so much his condition to desire death, yet he didn't give in to his temptation.'Till that day. But he met someone totally unespected. 2nd ch. up for the LaviYu Day! - yeah,late! AU,YAOI,LaviYuu
1. Chapter 1: Him

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own D. Gray-man.**

**WARNING: YAOI - if you don't know what this word means, or if you don't like boy/boy relationship this story is not for you, don't say I didn't tell you! You know the song, DON'T LIKE DON'T READ!**

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><p>Okay, I know, I should be concentrating on translating the stories I have already began, but... Well, I wanted to write something especially for Kanda's birthday, and using one of the 100 LaviYuu themes, and... I worked so hard to have it ready yesterday but I failed *cries*<p>

I wanted it to be a one shot, but due to the fact I couldn't finish it in time, it will be a two shot.

Well, I'm sure Kanda will appreciate it all the same even with some hours of late! XD Maybe. Sort of. I wasn't that tender on him this time^^"

The 100 LaviYuu themes Prompt is n.98, Emptiness. Enjoy!

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As always, special thanks to EM1&EM2, aka Saxon-Jesus who did the beta work for me, being so patient and helpful!

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And, **Happy Birthday Kanda**, once again, even if late!

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><p>I know, you're sick of this, but I need to add the LaviYuu Festival advertising XDD<p>

With Kanda's Birthday, this year too starts the third LaviYu Festival!

**Welcome to the _LaviYu Festival_, now at its third year!**

For those who still don't know what the hell I'm talking about, let's make a brief look up over it.

The Festival, supported by the LaviYuu fans from all over the world, placed itself between Lavi and Kanda's two Birthdays, beginning with today, 6 June 2011, Kanda's Birthday, and culminating with the LaviYu Day, that was chosen exactly in the middle of their two Birthdays, on 8th JULY, to then end on 10th AUGUST with Lavi's Birthday.

This year the celebration has a couple of contest like last year, and of course we all are invited to post our stuffs during the whole period of the Festival. Check them out, the links are in my profile ^^

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><p><strong>That day<strong>

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><p>.<p>

**Chapter 1 - Him  
><strong>

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The alley was dark. The light of a street-lamp barely reached its entrance, creating a gloomy atmosphere, hiding those sloppy details that identified the place as an area of ill-repute. The wall behind him penetrated his back while someone was pressing him hard against it, so that he could count all its bricks.

A gasping breath mingled with his own, grazing his face, going down along the curve of his neck, making him shudder and squirm; his body was vibrating like a violin string, plucked with skilled hand from an experienced musician, desire for this perverse contact that devoured him from the inside, almost like it was the ultimate solution to all his problems.

But it wasn't, he knew it, yet he let it happen, he _was_ letting it happen, and he wouldn't do anything so the other would stop kissing him, touching him, possessing him, as if there was no tomorrow for them.

But tomorrow would come, punctual as ever, bringing the awareness of what he had done, together with the pain of remorse, as well as the bodily one. And that was what he wanted, what he was looking for, a lethal dose of pain that could so cloud his senses to make him forget everything else, because self-destruction was the only thing that made him feel alive.

Drinking until he was completely numb was a solution that was already beginning to fail, because, as they said, troubles can swim, and his empty life was more and more unbearable to him.

The cacophony around the nightspot's corner filled the air like music, steady, hypnotic, almost unreal, perfect to cover their groans, mingling them inside itself almost like it was a cocktail made from exotic ingredients.

He wasn't aware either of the moment they went out, he had barely registered being slammed against that wall in a dirty and smelly alley, under the vagrants' eyes, who certainly lived there, well hidden in the shadows of their cardboard slapdash beds.

They were both so drunk to the point of not realizing what they were doing, at least this young man who buttonholed him was, since he did it even though his own expression was so prohibitive to drive out anyone at first glance.

He had approached him with one _of those smiles that dazzle_, only one eye visible but bright with joy (and intoxicated with alcohol) fixing onto his own - clearly trying to seduce him - and flaming red hair, short and unkempt; he immediately knew that this so weird youth had taken him for a woman, since the idiot was totally drunk, but that night he didn't care.

Yes, he usually would punch the young man for that kind of an insult, but at that moment he just wanted to hurt himself, to prove to himself and the world that he wasn't a piece of ice, that he was able to feel emotions, to _feel_ desire like everyone else, and no, it didn't concern him that the person put in front of him by Chance was another man, it just made everything even more despicable.

An ignorant man, so drunk that he didn't realize he had a male in his arms even feeling said male's erection pressed against his own stomach. Perhaps a mistake was made by the both of them, because he immediately realized the effect that the young stranger's touch had on him, his reactions, and this realization had thrown him into an abyss of despair; perhaps, perhaps the reason why he avoided each and every contact with women was this, he was waiting to find someone who was capable to turn him on like this.

That someone, however, was less gay than he was until a moment before he met him, and he couldn't even blame the damn pub, because it was a normal nightspot, not some sort of a gay club. In addition, even if he had wanted a relationship, or to see the redhead under different circumstances, both being sober, he was sure the other would reject him.

When the young man introduced himself he didn't even understand his name, but he had to have watched the redhead in a way that the boy liked, which he interpreted as an invitation to continue, because after mumbling something incomprehensible the drunk teen got closer to him, placing a kiss on his lips .

He should be upset, and horrified, and should have given the redhead what he deserved, instead, he had fueled the misunderstanding by curving his lips in a satisfied grin and pressing himself closer to the youth, taking care not to say one word to let him notice of this case of mistaken identity.

Abject? Ignoble? Unworthy? Yes, maybe, but they all could go to hell for what he cared, as long as that night he got what he wanted, proving himself to be alive.

And maybe it was the most convoluted thing his mind could come up with, but as they say, one has to be thankful for what he gets, and he was sure that if he was sober he would never have done this.

He had to let himself go meanwhile his conscience couldn't be able to protest. There was another kiss, and he returned it with ardour.

What happened after wasn't clear to him, he felt himself grabbed and dragged on the dance floor, the redhead's hands sliding along his body, and the next moment he was out in the alley, half-naked, with the youth over him. He had no doubt that he actively participated in all of this, the only question he had, dancing in his head, was: _"Why, why __do__ I feel so much desire for him?"_

Every kiss he received, every caress made him mad, he wanted more, craved for more, now that he finally _felt_ something he couldn't give it up. He allowed his shirt to get open, welcoming the other youth's lips on his nipples, the redhead's tongue drawing the outlines of the strange tattoo he had on his chest over one of them, incredulous about how it was possible that the youth didn't realize he had no breasts.

He drove the boy's hands along his hips, positioning them to support his buttocks, determined to go all the way before his lover could come up to his senses, before all this could stop sending him chills of passion along every fiber of his body.

He couldn't believe he was going to do something like this with his own hands, he, the upright Kanda Yuu, the school's idol, a blameless person, the one who didn't drink, didn't take drugs, didn't go whoring, didn't flirt with anyone.

Oh, how they were wrong! That evening Kanda Yuu surrendered all along the line and got drunk almost to no longer know who or where he was, he let himself being picked up by a man no less, and he was now in a dark alley having sex with him. Consenting sex.

He kissed said man hungrily, distracting him from the movements of their bodies tied together, raising a leg after freeing it of his pants and clinging to the redhead's waist, while introducing two fingers into his own body, thereby hoping to prepare himself enough to partially reduce the pain.

Kanda's fingers clasped the youth's crimson locks, he had himself kissed a long time on the neck, careless of the bruises that he would have had the next morning, and as he thought to be ready he grabbed the other's erection, leading it where he wanted, between his buttocks, and pressing on it with full force, easing the throbbing member to enter himself with the same hand that held it.

The stifled cry of his owner came as music to Kanda's ears, and he let out a long moan in his turn, trying to balance their weight between the wall and the redhead's shoulders to whom he was desperately clinging.

The young stranger came to his aid, grabbing his hips and starting to thrust inside him, slowly at first, then harder, until Kanda's moans turn into muffled screams, barely held back only by the obstinate force of will that was one of his distinguishing marks.

Their moving was reaching something inside him that made Kanda go out of his mind, the pain mingling with ecstasy, so intense that when he came all over his lover's chest he almost collapsed on him; Kanda didn't even realize if the other had poured his own seed inside his body or not until they ruinously fell to the ground.

He stood up, disgusted, shaking, shamefully naked, dirty of sex and mud, full of dust from the wall, his hair disheveled, sticky with sweat, filled with plaster fragments.

Kanda dressed himself up as best as he could, unsteady on his legs, and dragged himself limping toward his home, determined to forget forever all this madness.

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>The next Monday, when he went back to school, Kanda was more cantankerous than he'd ever been, after the memory of what he'd donefell down on him with all its repulsive realism. He couldn't really complain though, now that the pain he'd chased for so long, thin and sharp as a knife, planted itself deeply into his heart.<p>

He had left the stranger senseless and stark naked in the alley, at the mercy of anyone who had wanted to rob, rape or kill him. "_Che_," escaped his lips at the thought. He would never see the youth again, and this was his greatest pain.

Kanda sat in his classroom with his usual icy demeanour, composed and uninterested in anything apart from the lesson that was about to begin, but when the teacher came in there was someone with her, a new student. _Him_.

Kanda's heart stopped, his breath froze in his throat and he became deadly pale: would the youth recognize him? How much did_ he_ remember of that night? Would he realize that the girl he had banged against the wall wasn't at all the above? That she was instead a male, _him_?

This time the youth's name came to him loud and clear: Lavi Bookman, just moved to town after a long wandering around the world. Was it because of this that he came to drink in the damn bar? To celebrate his fucking return to his supposed country of origin? _Dammit_.

Kanda tried to remain indifferent when Lavi sat down at the bench beside him, striving to look focused on the tasks due for that morning. Lavi, however, seemed at once interested in him, and a cold shiver ran down Kanda's spine: so, did he remember? He _knew_?

Doubt tortured him until the bell ringed, announcing the lunch-time break, moment in which the object of his thoughts came to the bench where he sat, a friendly look and a gentle expression on his face.

"Lavi, nice to meet ya." The youth gave him the same smile with which he had captured him the offending evening, and held out his hand.

"_Che_." Kanda replied disdainfully, evaluating Lavi's reactions to understand whether or not he had recognized him, and turning his head to the side in so very rude a manner. The redhead seemed surprised, totally wrong-footed, speechless from such a harsh reaction.

"My pleasure. Allen." Said another student from the bench in front of Lavi.

That stupid albino meddler he couldn't stand was getting in the way to antagonize Lavi. Not that Kanda had made some effort to be friendly, mind you, but it irritated him all the same.

"Hi there." Lavi turned to the newcomer, shaking hands with him, and immediately the boy came close to him and whispered something in his ear.

"You don't have to mind him, Kanda is the way he is, he hates everything and everyone. Be careful not to call him by his first name, or he will eat you alive." Allen warned his new friend gravely, looking over Lavi's figure to verify if the evil ogre in question could have somewhat overheard.

"R-Really?" Lavi murmured, keeping his voice equally low in volume. "It's not Kanda's name?"

"No, his first name is Yuu, but he doesn't want anybody to use it." Allen said with a shrug. "It must be some sort of tradition from his country, you know, he's of Japanese descent."

"Oh..." Lavi said, glancing sideways at the young Asian. "Can't speak our language well?

Allen laughed, pulling his companion aside and earning with that a murderous look from Kanda, even if he misunderstood the reason for it, imputing it to his person, which the youth cordially hated.

"No, no, he speaks English well enough; he just didn't want to talk to you." The boy continued to laugh out loud, landing a pat on his new companion's back. "You'll get used to this. Come on now, let's go eat before our time runs out. If it's not a tactless question, what have you done to your right eye?" Allen asked out of curiosity as they walked away.

Kanda grimly stared at the two going out of the classroom: that damn albino had taken Lavi away from him! He gritted his teeth, trying not to show how much it bothered him, absolutely refusing to admit to himself he was feeling terribly jealous, blaming his aversion to the pestiferous boy - that he loved to address with the nickname of 'moyashi', because of the teen's frail appearance and short height - for the sense of irritation he was experimenting.

Reflecting on it in cold blood, this was really a Royal mess, a real terrible catastrophe that was threatening to ruin him. If Lavi had revealed to moyashi what they had done, no, what _he_ had done…

Kanda absolutely had to find out _how much_ Lavi remembered about that fucking night.


	2. Chapter 2: Dream or Reality?

**DISCLAIMER: I just own the plot.**

**WARNING: YAOI - if you don't know what this word means, or if you don't like boy/boy relationship this story is not for you, don't say I didn't tell you! You know the song, DON'T LIKE DON'T READ!**

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><p>Well, looks like my two shot will become a three shot XD<p>

And once again, I failed at translating this chapter in time for the LaviYuu Day, while I instead succeded in publishing it in Italian language...

So, since it was indeed first published on the right day...

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><p><strong><span>Happy LaviYuu Day!<span>**

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><p>as well! XD<p>

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I also want to thank all of you who reviewed :)

**dead or alive0013**: Happy to know you love LavixYuu! I was playing for a while in my mind with this sex scene in a dirty alley, just sex and desperation, perverted thoughts and motives, deception on Kanda's part and then abandonment. So, I decided to write it down for Kanda's birthday to stop thinking round and round about it XD But it turned out a little longer than I planned, since I'm not one to leave them separated like this!

So now you'll discover what Lavi really knows, since this chapter is basically his point of view^^ I hope you'll enjoy the reading even if it's not betaed ^^"

**Through Darkness and Light**: Thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope this chapter won't disappoint you, since it turned out like a filler part, just to develop the plot u_u

**Tysunkete**: I'm sorry I didn't answer to you sooner, I was just drowning into things I needed to do for my cosplay stuffs, the trip to Japan Expo and the incoming LaviYuu Day! O_O

Well, I feel awkward about this... Does FF .net rate M fics just the very very explicit ones? Because on our fanfiction Italian site it is enough to describe the sexual act (which in fact I did) to be obliged marking the story as "red rating", that to us is the maximum rate and means readers over 18 years... That's why I assumed that M rating was the corresponding rating ^^"" Am I wrong?

**Ninja Rabbit**: I'm really happy to hear that I was able to convey such emotions in my writing, since I'm not mother language ^_^

**Ardespuffy**: Sì, sono per metà nudi, ma Lavi è un bel po' fuori di sé... Però si inizia a scoprire qualcosa di più in questo capitolo^^ Riguardo Kanda "ragazzo per bene", è qualcosa che ha sempre stuzzicato la mia immaginazione, visto quanto è ligio al dovere normalmente. Trovarsi intrappolato in quella che viene definita la classica "vita perfetta" deve essere davvero frustrante per lui, così come è frustrante essere prigioniero delle regole dell'Ordine Oscuro come Esorcista.  
>.<p>

English again after answering to an Italian reader XD

I want to thank as well all of you who read this story and my others. Please continue to support Lavi and Yuu together! Being it LaviYuu or Yuvi it doesn't matter, as long as they're together!

And, **Happy LaviYuu Day**, once again, even if late!

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Beta is Saxon-Jesus, as always ^_^ Thank you so much!

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><p>I know, you're sick of this, but I need to add the LaviYuu Festival advertising XDD<p>

With Kanda's Birthday, this year too starts the third LaviYu Festival!

**Welcome to the _LaviYu Festival_, now at its third year!**

For those who still don't know what the hell I'm talking about, let's make a brief look up over it.

The Festival, supported by the LaviYuu fans from all over the world, placed itself between Lavi and Kanda's two Birthdays, beginning with today, 6 June 2011, Kanda's Birthday, and culminating with the LaviYu Day, that was chosen exactly in the middle of their two Birthdays, on 8th JULY, to then end on 10th AUGUST with Lavi's Birthday.

This year the celebration has a couple of contest like last year, and of course we all are invited to post our stuffs during the whole period of the Festival. Check them out, the links are in my profile ^^

.**  
><strong>

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><p><strong>That Day<strong>

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><p>.<strong><br>**

**Chapter 2: Dream or Reality?**

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Lavi was a little baffled by this first day of school after his return to London. He was still a mess from the colossal drunkenness he had experienced the Saturday before, really the biggest he had ever remembered; how many glasses of beer and cocktails he drained dry Lavi didn't even know, after the first dozen he had already been so done for, that he could hardly recognize the bartender.

The bartender, yes. That man having so strange a look, with those disturbing tattoos on his forehead and his golden eyes, a glance so piercing that all the time Lavi had the distinct feeling it was glued to him, as if the man was his guardian angel. Or a prison guard, because his appearance wasn't really 'angelic', with a complexion so dark and pitch black hair, just a bit wavy, which fell in locks on his face, clearly showing Latin features.

Lavi loved this nightspot and routinely frequented it when he was still living in the city, so he unhesitatingly went there the evening in which he had arrived, finding himself facing a big surprise: the place was completely changed.

Beginning with the name, that became so absurd a thing he wasn't even able to read it in fully (which, speaking of him, one with a photographic memory that would shame a x-rays machine, it was saying something), passing through the totally renovated area, which included a significant surface expansion, ending with a new owner and new waiters. And, of course, the _new_ bartender.

The pub was quite crowded when he entered, and yet that man immediately aimed at him, asking what he liked to drink and continuing to ask until Lavi had lost count of his orders. He usually stood alcohol very well, but for some strange reason, that evening it went straight to his head, driving his perception of the world into a floating dimension with blurred edges, fuzzy and permeated with a light almost fairy-talish.

Who knows, maybe it was because of this that he suddenly saw a beautiful girl with exotic features in the room, sitting all alone at a solitary table with a pained expression on her beautiful face. Lavi still wasn't certain that it hadn't been a hallucination caused by the alcohol overdose, since it seemed that no trace of her remained; even the club's owner denied having seen her there.

Yet he remembered some... things. He was assured that he approached her, invited her to dance and then that they left the pub together, but after this everything was terribly confused. So, since he had awoken in the back room of the club under the concerned gaze of its owner, Lavi had assumed that most likely he had fainted in there and everything he remembered was a very, very strange dream.

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Because, at some point Lavi was absolutely sure he kissed the chest of a man, which, in real life, was a thing he would _never_, _ever_, do... indeed, to be honest, he remembered far more scabrous details than a simple kiss, and to make the picture of the situation more painful, recalling them brought with a whirlwind of passions that frightened him a lot. In particular, he was terrified by the desire he still felt if he recalled the young stranger.

Was it possible that he had enticed another man of his own free will to have sex with him? And in that case, why said man had not rebelled? That place wasn't a gay club, it was highly unlikely that among all the customers he had caught the only youth with _that _sexual inclination... or was it?

Then the strange man who now ran the pub (and that in fact, wanting to be totally honest, had a slightly ambiguous appearance) began to tell him something that shook him even more, and...

"Lavi?" A tug on the arm and the waving of fingers in front of his one good eye suddenly brought Lavi back to present. "We need to order." Reminded the voice that had just called his name, making him realize he was right in front of an impatient student canteen employee.

"Oh!" Lavi exclaimed embarrassed, turning a stupid smile to the man before him and fumbling in his pocket with effort. "Sandwich, please." He asked while his frantic search still continued without giving results, making it all even more unpleasant.

"Never mind, I've got it." Allen came to his rescue, delivering him a pat on the shoulder. The boy's expression was rather amused but sympathetic, as if expecting from the beginning that Lavi could feel out of place, being new in the school and all.

"Thanks." Lavi said as he sat at a table. "Must've left my wallet at home, 'm quite forgetful these days." He excused himself, tittering apologetically and slipping a hand through his tousled hair.

It was so intensely red as to seem unnatural, Allen could not help but notice while watching his classmate's embarrassed behavior in managing his own lunch.

He held the sandwich in his other hand as if he didn't know what to do with it and kept smiling in so stupid a way, scratching his head and looking intently towards the door as if expecting to see someone he knew enter any moment.

Allen, however, gave priority to the urgent need for food that his stomach complained about and bit into the first of his many sandwiches, filling his mouth up to the maximum allowed capacity, regardless of the amazed expression which replaced the one of empty joy on Lavi's face.

"Does it create problems for you? The incident, I mean." Mumbled the youth while gulping down another big bite. Lavi has been rather evasive about the nature of the misfortune that had deprived him of the use of his right eye when he was a child, and Allen was very curious about it. "I mean, with people." He realized right after he spoke how rude asking such a question had been, and immediately tried to play it down. "Oh, you don't need to tell me if you don't want; it's that you seem to have gotten over it very well, and that's admirable." Allen said, trying to nod as he chewed at a good pace.

A bitter grimace drew itself on Lavi's lips, but he didn't seem at all hurt by Allen's insinuations. He shrugged, returning to barricade himself behind his cheerful smile.

"No prob, Allen." He said in a friendly tone. "Was tough at first, but now I no longer mind how people look at me or what they say 'bout me. Really."

Allen took another big bite of his food, licking his fingers one by one afterwards before moving on to the next dish, trying despite all to reciprocate Lavi's smile and ending up spitting on the table many crumbs of bread and companage.

Noting that the other was barely restraining himself from bursting into laughter, Allen swallowed the last bite all at once, seriously risking to choke on it, but after a brief struggle to breathe he got the better of his meal, returning to look at Lavi, his cheeks flushed from the exertion.

"Allen! You are always the same!" Exclaimed a woman's voice behind them, playfully hitting with the back of her fist the albino boy's head, a look of ostentatious seriousness on her beautiful Asian face. "Stop stuffing yourself like that, you'll make a bad impression on our new school mate!"

The girl looked very young, more or less the same age as Allen, Lavi judged, and from her features you could tell she was of Chinese origin, both for the cut of her eyes and their color, and for the long and smooth black hair, collected in two pigtails just above her ears.

"L-Lenalee!" Allen stammered, moving his hands instinctively to cover the injured party, assuming a genuinely contrite look. "I thought you weren't eating with us..." He apologized immediately, even if Lenalee hadn't mentioned the fact that they didn't wait for her.

"Indeed," The girl replied, smiling to her friend first and then to the new student. "But my brother had a sudden engagement, so I managed to escape." She said triumphantly, introducing herself to Lavi. "Lenalee Lee, nice to meet you." Lavi shook her hand, fascinated by the girl's savoir-faire; she dragged a chair to the table and sat down without waiting to be invited to stay. "Tomorrow is his birthday, poor us!" She went back to her earlier speech, slowly shaking her head with a swing of cute pigtails, eyes fixed onto Allen's ice-blue ones. "He wants to organize an apocalyptic party in a place that we could also like, and he wants us all there." She sighed sadly. "Including Kanda."

At that statement Allen risked choking again on his last sandwich, promptly rescued by a loud clap on his back, courtesy of Lavi, who was very interested in this mysterious brother Lenalee had, who dared no less than to demand the presence of someone as grumpy as Kanda was at his very own birthday party.

"Kanda will never agree to come," Allen finally managed to utter, still coughing part of the last bite belonging to its precious meal.

"I know, but with a little bit of my persuasive skills I'm confident about being able to convince him." The girl said, her lips curving into what on any other face would have seemed a devilish smile, and instead onto hers shone with innocent self confidence.

Lavi could not help but wonder what kind of bond there could be between the two youths, since Lenalee appeared to be so sure of herself and this implied a very _intimate_ knowledge of the subject in question.

No, he was not at all jealous of the girl. No, really, he wasn't; why would he be, after all? Because, my dear, his memory promptly reminded him, you associate _him_ to the boy of your alcoholic hallucinations, when he doesn't even look like him.

Yet, he wasn't convinced that Yuu didn't resemble the person who _perhaps_ he had met (and _perhaps_, instead, more likely didn't exist at all); Lavi instead found that their physical traits were very similar.

But it was dark, he was drunk beyond any limit bearable by an ordinary human being, and in addition he was absolutely certain that he flirted with a woman, not a man. He simply must have dreamed the rest, period.

Because, if he hadn't dreamed it... Well, let's clear it up already: he was in big trouble. And maybe, maybe Lavi was bogged down in it up to his neck all the same, dream or not, given the obsession that he was slowly creating around it.

"Why 're you so sure that Yuu'll listen?" There, he had asked it, he had already begun to meddle in the other youth's life, as if he cared the slightest bit about _him_.

Lenalee casted a stunned glance at Lavi of which the redhead didn't understand the reason, then she turned that same look at Allen, who spread his arms and shook his head with the expression of one who rejects all accusations, as if to say: "I've warned him about never calling Kanda by his first name, it's not my fault!"

"If you value your safety, don't you ever use Kanda's name in front of him, he's very picky about it." She repeated in a very serious tone, just to be really sure that Lavi had been informed of the risks he was running into taking such a confidence with Kanda. Lavi nodded repeatedly, tittering in embarrassment: he had already started on the wrong foot, and he felt that Yuu's name would escape his lips often enough, causing his downfall... "Apart from that, Kanda is not as bad as he looks; he's just too stubborn for his own good." Lenalee continued, returning to smile at him as if explaining to a child the most obvious thing in the world. "My brother is a close friend of Kanda's stepfather. We grew up together, so I know how to handle him to have him doing what he don't want to." Now Lavi was more than certain that there was something deeply arcane in her, otherwise it wasn't possible that she went along that well with someone like Yuu. "And then it will also be inviting his stepfather, so I doubt he could manage to escape the inevitable. Mr. Tiedoll still feels guilty for causing Kanda to lose a full year of school because of his constant travelling, so he does everything he can to drive him to make friends, now that they're back here."

Lavi had already lost himself into thousands of speculation right after he learned that Yuu, just like him, had recently come back into town, and in addition to this he was a year behind at school for the same reasons, so, presumably, he was the same age as him, and...

"Lavi?" Allen's voice roused him from the storm of thoughts that raged inside his head, making him almost startle, so much he had alienated himself.

"Oh, 'm sorry, 's just I was surprised t'hear that Yuu lost a school-year, 'cause it's the same situation as mine. My grandfather took me on a journey with 'im for over a year as well, that's why 'm behind with my studies." Lavi took refuge behind his dazzling smile to mask the turmoil that all these similarities were causing in him, inexorably leading his mind to analyze once again the memories he had of that goddamn night, during which it seemed he fell unconscious in a bloody alley; at least according to the owner of the place where he was in.

Because of this revelation he was struggling, trying to understand what really had happened out there, setting aside with whoever he had left the fucking place with.

"Yes, it's funny actually; Lenalee and I are a year ahead, you and Kanda a year behind." Allen laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Come on, it's not a great tragedy."

It depended on the concept one had of 'tragedy', Lavi found himself thinking, by now resigned to his 'obsession'. He stood up, pointing to the clock on the wall of the students' canteen, promptly imitated by his two class-mates, and chatting together about the details of this 'forced birthday party' they went back to the classroom.

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The end of the classes was never so welcome to Lavi; having the person who constantly reminded him of his nightmare sitting at just a meter away from him, right in the other row of school desks, made him feel deeply uncomfortable, a sensation which he wasn't used at all.

Accustomed to be always sure of himself, mischievous and playful, feeling in awe of something that, among other things, had never happened, wrong-footed Lavi completely, making him even nervous and irritable. In fact, the only one with which the redhead was truly angry was himself, he had to admit to it; because he had really asked for it, so all the blame fell right on him.

As they placed all books in their bags, Lenalee approached Kanda nonchalantly smiling at the youth, taking him aside and telling him something, whispering for discretion; yet, as much Lavi was certain that the girl had used all the tact she was capable of (and her diplomatic skills were very good indeed), Kanda swore loudly all the same, so much that the whole class looked at him anxiously.

Conscious of being the object of interest by his detestable classmates, the Japanese youth quickly lowered the tone, although it was clear from his expression that he was very, very upset by what he had just heard.

The discussion continued in an excited way (mostly on Kanda's part) although maintained in an undertone, as long as Kanda's angry glance didn't cross with the goofy one of a certain someone, who was silently staring at him from one of the few still occupied school-desks.

He paled as his eyes met said someone's only one.

_Why was the idiot redhead observing him?_

Immediately the Japanese youth looked away, embarrassed as if he had been caught red-handed doing something wrong, but going back to peek in that direction from time to time, certain that no one would notice about his interest in that one person who was watching the debate in progress.

If Lavi couldn't notice the nervousness caused by his insistent interest in the outcome of the conversation between him and Lenalee, as much as Kanda was a master at masking his feelings the girl instead caught at once the change of attitude and the sudden inattention of her friend.

After the second suspect peep she figured out immediately which one was the object of Kanda's interest, remaining both surprised and pleased with her discovery. The '_innocent_' smile reappeared on her angelic face, and Lenalee pretended to notice just in that precise instant that Lavi was staring at them.

"Lavi will also come, you know?" She ventured, and saw Kanda tense up at this news, a sign that she had hit the mark. Something about Lavi troubled him for some reason, and perhaps it could be of help to convince the youth to come. "Please, if you and Lavi will be present, too, my brother won't constantly keep on at me and Allen!" Lenalee pleaded putting on her best hopeful expression. "Other than this, Lavi needs someone to warn him against my brother's stupid jokes; if you'll be there with him he won't run any risks! Pretty please?" She repeated, smiling her way somewhere between sweet and sullen, and holding the youth's wrists together with an anxious motion.

"_Che_." Kanda snorted at last, withdrawing his hands as if he had just got burned. "You all are a terrible nuisance. You, my stepfather, this idiot." He spat out pointing at Lavi with an irritated gesture. But Lenalee was staring at him _like that_ again. _Dammit_. "Fine, you win. I will come. But if your brother tries to involve me in one of his retarded 'experiments' I'll knock him flat, and that's a promise." He said sharply, grabbing his bag with truly bad grace and getting out of the classroom full speed, regardless of whether the other two were following him or not.

Lenalee gloated in satisfaction, she had just gotten what she wanted and in addition she would be able to meddle with the reason why Kanda seemed somewhat interested in Lavi, despite he was trying to convince everyone that he hated the redhead as he did with every other living being.

.

.

Kanda was walking quickly as a marathon runner, determined to go home _alone_ and above all in silence, because he felt the need to ponder on what was so suddenly happening to him and that, apparently, he wasn't able to control.

He had the distinct feeling of being manipulated and he fell for it like a naive... Damn Lenalee! Yet, the prospect of spending time with Lavi allured him, although he was trying to stifle and deny the attraction he felt for the youth; but it mocked him, cropping up again as he lowered his guard and making him do things that normally he would never have considered, such as giving in that way with Lenalee.

And behind it all hovered the specter that Lavi could remember perfectly everything had happened between them, and that this was precisely the reason for which he caught the redhead staring at him, trying to eavesdrop on his conversation with Lenalee.

Kanda swore under his breath, cursing his own weakness. Could it be possible that Lavi had been able to emotionally involve him in such a way? It has been just pure and simple sex, a rash act, _a fit of madness_...

As he was trying to convince himself that there was nothing else behind it all, a hand grabbed Kanda by the shoulder, startling him.


End file.
